PEDC News

BP and Eni to agree to pursue major new exploration opportunity in Oman

Agree to work together towards new agreement to explore 3,100 km2 onshore block

Would build on BP’s major existing onshore activity and experience in Oman

MUSCAT, Sultanate of Oman – BP and Eni today signed a heads of agreement (HoA) with the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Sultanate of Oman to work jointly towards a significant new exploration opportunity in Oman.

Under the HoA, the two companies will work with the Government of Oman towards the award of a new exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) for Block 77 in central Oman. BP and Eni will now enter discussions with the Ministry to finalise details of the EPSA.

Bernard Looney, BP chief executive upstream said: “This would represent a further deepening of BP’s important position in Oman, building on our successful delivery of the major Khazzan project in 2017 and its second phase of development that is currently under construction. We look forward to continuing to explore and efficiently develop the country’s resources, working in close partnership with Eni and Oman to underpin our commitment to delivering long-term gas production for Oman.”

Block 77, with a total area of almost 3,100 km2, is located in central Oman, 30 km east of the BP-operated Block 61 which contains the already-producing Khazzan gas project as well as the Ghazeer project, currently under development.

The Pasargad Energy Development Company, PEDC, is owned by the Pasargad Financial Group, in which one of its distinctive shareholders is Pasargad Bank, the leading Iranian private bank with a continuous high growth rate.